Fastener forming and inserting device



Alll'll 27, 1965 n. aoYNToN ETAI. 3,180,550

FASTENER FORMING AND INSERTING DEVICE Filed nec. a. 1962 4 Sheets-Sheet1 April 27, 1965 D. BOYNTON ETAL 3,180,550

FASTENER PORMING AND INSERTING DEVICE 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed DSC. 5,-1962 NVE'NTORS IHA D. BOYNTON AWBREY C. LAWS 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 K B1G-' '7April 27, 1965 Filed DBC. 3, 1962 April 27, 1955 1. D. BoYNToN ETAL3,180,550

FASTENER FORMING AND INSERTING DEVIECE m ae Harney United States PatentOffice 3&8955@ Patented pr. 27, i935 3,l'3},550 FASTENER FRML IG ANI)INSERTING DEVIQE Ira l). Boynton, Lexington, and Awbrey C. Laws, Boston,Mass., assigner-s, by mesne assignments, to United States teelCorporation, a corporation of New .lersey Filed Dec. 3, 1962, Ser. No.241,879 6 Claims. (Cl. 227-93) rl'his invention relates to devices forforming and inerting fasteners, and more particularly to a portable handtool which, from a supply of wire, will shear and drive fasteners asrequired.

It is a principal object of this invention to provide a device which,from a supply of wire, will form and drive fasteners as required.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a portable hand toolwhich both forms and inserts Wire fasteners as required.

Yet another object of this invention is the provision of an easilyportable hand tool which will quickly and repetitively form and insertwire fasteners.

It is a more particular object of this invention to provide a portablehand tool which is supplied with a coil of Wire, and upon each actuationwill shear a fastener from the wire and drive the sheared fastener.

Still a further more specific object of this invention is the provisionof a hand tool which is supplied with a coil of wire, and which uponactuation will rst shear a fastener from the wire, and then insert thesheared fastener, and then return to a position ready to repeat theoperanon.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent fromthe following description and accompanying drawings, in which:

FGURE l is a view of the device of this invention held in position foroperation;

FIGURE 2 is an elevational view of the device on an enlarged scale fromFIGURE 1 partially in section showing the parts within the housing;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged View of a portion of the device of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along the center line of the deviceon its plane of symmetry;

FIGURE 4a is a sectional view of a portion of the device duringoperation after shearing the fastener;

FIGURE 5 is a View similar to FIGURE 4 showing the device as it has justcompleted its movement to drive a fastener;

FIGURE 6 is a View similar to FIGURE 2 showing the device after it hasjust completed its movement to drive a fastener;

FIGURE 7 is a View similar to FIGURE 6, the device being rotated 90;

FIGURE 8 is a perspective view of the wire feeding s ide;

FIGURE 9 is a perspective view of the Wire supporting yoke with theclamping spring attached thereto;

FIGURE l() is a view of a portion of the device during its returnmovement after driving the fastener;

FIGURE ll is a sectional View of the same portion of the device asFIGURE l0 taken along the center line of the device;

FIGURE l2 shows a modification of the device wherein locking cams areprovided; and

FIGURE 13 is an enlarged detailed elevational View partially in sectionshowing the operation of a portion of the wire feeding mechanism.

Referring now to FIGURE 1, the device of this invention is shown innormal horizontal position for use to fasten a strip of panel board B toa wooden stud S. It is with the tool in this position that thedirections referred to hereinafter are oriented.

Referring now to FIGURES 2 through 4, the components of the device areshown, the device being in its retracted position ready to form anddrive a fastener.

The device includes a block lll having at one end a support base l2. Theblock 10 has a cut out portion 14 adjacent the base 12 in which isdisposed a wire support yoke L3. The yoke lo is mounted for pivotalmovement in an arcuate groove 13 formed in the support base 12. A pairof longitudinally extending through bores 20 and 2?. are formed in theblock lil, the bores terminating at the cut out portion ld. A shoulder24 is formed on the block it) at the terminal end of the bore 20. Athrough longitudinal bore 26 is provided in the yoke 16 which is alignedwith a bore Z8 in the support base 12 when the device is in the positionshown in FIGURES 2-4. The yoke 16 has a pair of extensions 39 (FIGURE 9)which are disposed on opposite sides of the block 10, each havingarcuate camming surfaces 31. A pair of cam levers 32 are pivotallymounted on pins 34 on opposite sides of the block It), and each isprovided with a forward camming surface 3e and a rearward cammingsurface 38. The forward surfaces 36 are operable against the extensions3@ of the yoke I6.

A pair of cam rods itl are slidably mounted on opposite sides of theblock lil, and each is connected to a cylindrically-shaped drive member42 by a retaining pin d3. The cam rods d@ each have upper cammingsurfaces i4 which are operable against the arcuate surfaces 3l on theyoke extensions 36 and against the rear camming surfaces 38 of the camlevers 32. The drive member 42 has extending therefrom a plunger 4owhich extends into the longitudinal bore 22. Each of the cam rods 46 isprovided with a generally Z-shaped camming member 48 pivotally mountedon a pin 50. The members 4S each have an upper camming surface S2 and alower engaging surface 54. The upper camming surfaces are positioned toco-act with camming shoulders 55 on block l@ and springs Se bias thecamming members 4% to urge the lower engaging surface 54 into grooves 57formed in the block 1i).

The wire feeding mechanism includes a slide member 58 slidably mountedin a slot 59 on the block itl. The slide member S8 has a tube di)extending rearwardly therefrom, and has a bore 63 which slidably engagesa tube 6l extending rearwardly from bore Ztl. The tube 6b extends into abell-mouthed bore S2 formed in the drive member 42. The slide member S8is provided with a notch ed in which is disposed a pivotally mountedlocking collar d6 (FGURES 8 and 13), The collar d5 has an annulartungsten carbide insert 63, the opening of which is aligned with boththe tubes 6) and 6l. A biasing spring 69 normally urges the collar d5rearward toward the tube 6?. A key 'lil is mounted transversely on theslide member 58 in key slot 72 and the opposite ends thereof extend intogrooves 57. Thus, the ends of the key 7d are positioned to co-act withthe lower engaging surfaces S4 of the camming member d. Coil springs and7S surround respectively the plunger dei and the tube 6) normallybiasing the drive member 42 and block lit apart. A wire retaining clampSi?, in the form of a leaf spring is mounted on the yoke :lo and has aprojection 82 located adjacent the shoulder 24.

The barrel and drive members are enclosed by a pair of telescoping tubes34 and Se, with tube 84 being secured to the block It) by set screws 3Sand the tube 86 being secured to the drive member 2 by set screws 9d. Asynthetic rubber handle 92 is moulded onto the tube 86 to provide forgripping of the device. The remote end of the tube 85 flares outwardlyto a circular rim 9d which is adapted to peripherally embrace acylindrical with bore 23 in the base.

cartridge 95 of wire W. An annular clamp is provided to secure thecartridge in place by clamping over the cartridge 9o and engaging therim 94. The wire W feeds from the end of the cartridge through the tubeinto the bell mouthed bore d2 in the drive member, through tube 6l) tothe slide member SS, through the collar 65, thence through tube 6ft tobore 2d and from bore Ztl into the bore 2d of the yoke le when the yokeis in the position shown in FlGURES 2 4. Each of the bores Zd, 22, 26and 28 are slightly larger than the wire which the device uses to formthe fasteners. A synthetic rubber cap g3 is placed on the base l2 andhas a Operation and the v will be referred to as forward movement andmovement of the drive member away from the block will be referred to asreturn movement. During thev forward movement the upper surfaces of thecam rods du will disengage the rear caniming surfaces of the cam members32 n and will engage the arcuate cam'surfaces 3l of the yoke extensions3G. This will cause the yoke to pivot from its position as shown inFIGURE 3 to the position shown in FGURE l0. As the yoke pivots, the wireis sheared against theV edge of the shoulder 24, thus providing a lengthof wire in the bore 25 of the yoke. This length of wire is the fastener.The cam rods iti will continue bore aigned reopen the bias of thesprings 56 thus raising their lower engaging n surfaces dal outV ofcontact with the key "l, When the camming members ed disengage the key'd the force of spring 78 which has been maintained under compresf sionby the rearward movement of the slide 58 will tend moving the yoke untilthe bore therein is aligned with the bore 22 in the block. Y Also,movement of the yoke will force the projection 82 of the' clamp deagainst the sheared end of the wire firmly holding it against theshoulder 2li. Movement of the drive member d2 will also move the plungerle in the bore 22, and the length of the plunger i6 is selected so thatit will not project? y from the bore 22 until the bore Zdin the yoke lo'has been moved into alignment with the bore 22. Theiend of theft jectslightly beyond the face ofthe cap when the drive member has moved toits fully forward position with theend of cam rods abutting the disc. inthis fully forward position the camming members 4S have cammed over theto its original position.

locking members ldd.

to drive the slidetoward the support base f2. this movement of the slidewill cause the collar de to pivot to a position intermediate itsrearmost position and the positionshown in full lines, this being theposition shown in chain lines in FGURES ll and i3 which will cause thecarbide insert to grip the wire and urge it forward toward the supportbase. Shortly after the camming members y release the slide, the uppercamming surface dft of the cam bars engage Vthe rear cam surfaces 38 ofthe cam levers 32 causing the cam levers 32 to pivot about pins 34.During this pivoting movement of the cam levers 32,'

the front cam surfaces 35 thereof pivot the yoke lo back This willrelease the clamp Se from the wire, and whenthe bore Zriof the yoke if?comes into alignment with the bore Zd, the slide will be driven towardthe support base bythe spring '73 carrying with it the gripped wire.Thus, when thev device has returned 4to its original position the wirewill have Vbeen fed into the yoke ready to be sheared to a fastener.

lt will be readily apparent that the length of the fastener formed willdepend upon the distance of movement of the slide V58 Iwhen feeding theWire. The distance of movement of the slide is dependent upon therelative positions of the camming surfaces 4d and the camming members43. The greater the distance that the camming member moves the slideduring theY return lmovement the greater will be the length of wire fedto the yoke.

The modification ofthe device shown in FGURE l2 has'provided on the camrods (one of Vwhich is shown) Each locking member liti@ is mounted forYpivotal movement onta pin 162 and. biased by a` spring lud. The lockingl .embers lieti each have a forward locking surface M56 which Vispositioned to abut a co-acting surface ltl formed on the block l@ at theend of groove 57. When the device is in Iits normal keyr'ti and thelower engaging surface 54 thereof is y engaging the key 70. yThisfullytforward position is shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7. VWhen thisposition has beenY reached, alength of Wire has been sheared to form afastener and the fastener has been driven into the board. When pressureis released from the handle, the device will return to itsnormalrposition and in returning will advance the wire to a positionready to shear the next fastener. When pressure is removed from vthehandle i the spring 76 which Vwas compressed between the drive the`'slide 58 rearwardly away from the supportV base l2. Y.

position, ready for use, with the wire having'been fed by the slide tothe yoke, the key 'lll pivots theloclring member against the 4biasing ofsprings lli/i to raise their forward surfaces 1% above the co-actingsurfaces '1% Y and Vthus allowV the cam Vbars free forward movementalong the block lll. If, however,la malfunction should occur, and forVsome reason the slide should not feed the Wire into theyohe and henceremain in its rearward position, the Vkeyf'u would'be back in theposition shown in chain Y lines in FIGURE 12.

in this position the `springs illwould bias the locking surfaces lilo ofthe locking members lo@ against Vco-acting surfaces M93 on the block.YIn this position any attempted forward movement .of the cam bars wouldbe blocked by the co-actmg locking Y surfaces 1G26 and 108 and operationof the device would be preventedV until the malfunction is corrected.

While one embodiment of our invention has been shown and described itwill'be apparent that-other adaptations and modifications may be madewithout departing from Vthe scope of the following claims.`

VIe claim: Y 4 I 1. ApparatusV for forming and inserting wire fastenerscomprising, aV frame .member and a drive member,

' said frame member having an end cap, `said cap having a through axialbore, a support yoke pivotally mounted on saidY end cap and movableYfrom a wirerreceiving po-V sition to a fastener inserting position,said yoke having a bore aligned with the bore in said cap, Asaid framemember having a rst longitudinal bore aligned with the bore in said yokewhen the yoke is in the wire receiving position and adapted to guide thewire into the bore of the yoke, and a second longitudinal bore alignedwith the bore of said yoke when the yoke is in the fastener insertingposition, a pair of cam .bars carried by said drive member and slidablymounted on said frame member to move said yoke from said wire receivingposition to said fastener' .inserting position when the drive member isdriven toward said frame member, cam means coactable with said cam barsand said yoke to move said yoke back to the wire receiving position whenthe drive 'member is moved away from said frame member, said framemember including a shearing surface positioned to shear the supportedend of the wire as the yoke moves from the wire receiving position tothe fastener inserting position, a plunger carried by said drive memberand extending into said second longitudinal bore in the frame member,said plunger being reciprocally movable into the bore of said yoke whenthe drive member is driven toward the frame member to eject the shearedfastener from said yoke bore and retractable from said bore in the yokewhen said drive member is moved away from said frame member, said cambars being positioned to maintain said yoke in the fastener insertingposition until the plunger is retracted from said yoke bore, a wirefeeding slide slidably mounted on frame member for movement toward andaway from said cap and adapted to feed wire to said iirst longitudinalbore in said frame member, said slide including a pivotally mountedgripping collar adapted to grip and move a wire when moving in adirection toward said cap and to override the wire when moving away fromsaid cap, and key means coactable lwith said cam bars and said slide tomove said slide away from said cap for a predetermined distance and thenrelease said slide when said drive member is moved away from said framemember, first spring means normally urging said drive member away fromsaid frame member, second spring means normally urging said slide towardsaid cap, and handle means mounted on said drive member.

2. Apparatus for forming and inserting wire lfasteners comprising aframe member, a support yoke pivotally mounted on said frame memberadjacent the forward end thereof and movable between a wire receivingposition and a fastener inserting position, said yoke having a throughlongitudinal 'bore adapted to provide columnar support -to the endportion of a length of wire, a longitudinal reciprocating drive membermovable between rear- Ward and forward positions, means actutable bysaid drive member on its forward movement for moving said yoke to saidfastener inserting position, said frame member having a shearing surfacepositioned to shear the end portion of the wire to form a fastener asthe yoke moves from the wire receiving position to the fastenerinserting position, a rod carried b y said drive member for forcing thefastener from said yoke when the drive member is moved forwardly, meansto feed the end of a length of Wire to said support means when it is inthe wire receiving position, and means actuatable by said drive memberon its rearward movement to return the yoke to its wire receivingposition and then actuate said wire feeding means to feed the length ofwire into the bore of said yoke.

3. Apparatus for forming and inserting wire fasteners according to claim2 including a clamp mounted on said yoke, said clamp preventing forwardmovement of the length of wire when the yoke is in fastener insertingposition.

4. Apparatus for forming and inserting wire fasteners comprising a framemember, a support yoke pivotally mounted on said frame member adjacentthe forward end thereof and movable between a wire receiving posassosition and a fastener inserting position, said yoke having a throughlongitudinal bore adapted to provide a columnar support to the endportion of a length of Wire, a longitudinal reciprocating drive membermovable between rearward and forward posit-ions, means aetuatable bysaid drive member on its forward movement for moving said yoke to saidfastener inserting position, said frame member having a shearing surfacepositioned to shear the end portion of the wire to form a fastener asthe yoke moves from the wire receiving position to the fastenerinserting position, said frame member having a first longitudinal borealigned with the bore in said yoke when the yoke is in the wirereceiving position and adapted to guide the lwire into the bore of theyoke, and a second longitudinal bore aligned with the bore of said yokewhen the yoke is in the fastener inserting position, a rod carried bysaid drive member for forcing the fastener from said yoke when the drivemember is moved forwardly, and means actuatabie by said drive member onits rearward movement to return the yoke to its wire receiving positionand then actuate said wire feeding deans to feed the length of wire intothe bore of said yoke.

5. Apparatus for forming and inserting wire fasteners according to claim4 including a clampl mounted on said yok said clamp preventing forwardmovement of the length of wire `when the yoke is in fastener insertingposition.

6. Apparatus for forming and inserting Wire fasteners comprising a framemember, a support yoke pivotally mounted on said frame member adjacentthe forward end thereof and movable between a Wire receiving .positionand a fastener inserting position, said yoke having a throughlongitudinal bore adapted to provide columnar support to the end portionof a length of wire, a pair of cam bar-s carried by said drive memberand slidab'ly mounted on said frame member to move said yoke from saidwire receiving position to said fastener inserting position when thedrive member is driven toward said frame member, cam means co-actablewith said cam bars and said yoke to move said yoke back to the wirereceiving position when the drive member is moved away from said framemember, sai-d frame member including a shearing surface positioned toshear the supported end of the wire as the yoke moves from the wirereceiving position to the `fastener inserting position, a plungercarried by said drive member, said plunger being reciproc-ally movableinto the bore of said yoke when the drive member is driven toward theframe member to eject the sheared fastener from said yoke bore andretractable from `said bore in the yoke when said drive member is movedaway from said frame member, said cam bars being positioned to maintainsaid yoke in the fastener inserting position' until the plunger isretracted from said yoke bore, a wire feeding slide slidably mounted onframe member for movement toward and away from said cap and adapted tofeed wire to said bore in said yoke, said slide including a pivotallymounted gripping collar adapted to grip and move a wire when moving in adirection toward said cap and to over ride the wire when moving awayfrom said cap, key means coactable with said cam bars and said slide tomove said slide away from said cap for a predetermined .distance andthen release said slide when said drive member is moved away fromfsaidframe member, lirst spring means normally 'urging said drive member awayfrom said frame member, and second spring means normally urging saidslide toward said cap.

GRANVILLE Y. CUSTER, I R., Primary Examiner.

1. APPARATUS FOR FORMING AND INSERTING WIRE FASTENERS COMPRISING, AFRAME MEMBER AND A DRIVE MEMBER, SAID FRAME MEMBER HAVING AN END CAP,SAID CAP HAVING A THROUGH AXIAL BORE, A SUPPORT YOKE PIVOTALLY MOUNTEDON SAID END CAP AND MOVABLE FROM A WIRE RECEIVING POSITION TO A FASTENERINSERTING POSITION, SAID YOKE HAVING A BORE ALIGNED WITH THE BORE INSAID CAP, SAID FRAME MEMBER HAVING A FIRST LONGITUDINAL BORE ALIGNEDWITH THE BORE IN SAID YOKE WHEN THE YOKE IS IN THE WIRE RECEIVINGPOSITION AND ADAPTED TO GUIDE THE WIRE INTO THE BORE OF THE YOKE, AND ASECOND LONGITUDINAL BORE ALIGNED WITH THE BORE OF SAID YOKE WHEN THEYOKE IS IN THE FASTENER INSERTING POSITION, A PAIR OF CAM BARS CARRIEDBY SAID DRIVE MEMBER AND SLIDABLY MOUNTED ON SAID FRAME MEMBER TO MOVESAID YOKE FROM SAID WIRE RECEIVING POSITION TO SAID FASTENING INSERTINGPOSITION WHEN THE DRIVE MEMBER IS DRIVEN TOWARD SAID FRAME MEMBER, CAMMEANS COACTABLE WITH SAID CAM BARS AND SAID YOKE TO MOVE SAID YOKE BACKTO THE WIRE RECEIVING POSITION WHEN THE DRIVE MEMBER IS MOVED AWAY FROMSAID FRAME MEMBER, SAID FRAME MEMBER INCLUDING A SHEARING SURFACEPOSITIONED TO SHEAR THE SUPPORTED END OF THE WIRE AS THE YOKE MOVES FROMTHE WIRE RECEIVING POSITION TO THE FASTENER INSERTING POSITION, APLUNGER CARRIED BY SAID DRIVE MEMBER AND EXTENDING INTO SAID SECONDLONGITUDINAL BORE IN THE FRAME MEMBER, SAID PLUNGER BEING RECIPROCALLYMOVABLE INTO THE BORE OF SAID YOKE WHEN THE DRIVE MEMBER IS DRIVENTOWARD THE FRAME MEMBER TO EJECT THE SHEARED FASTENER FROM SAID YOKEBORE AND RETRACTABLE FROM SAID BORE IN THE YOKE WHEN THE SAD DRIVEMEMBER IS MOVED AWAY FROM SAID FRAME MEMBER, SAID CAM BARS BEINGPOSITIONED TO MAINTAIN SAID YOKE IN THE FASTENER INSERTING POSITIONUNTIL THE PLUNGER IS RETRACTED FROM SAID YOKE BORE, A WIRE FEEDING SLIDESLIDABLY MOUNTED ON FRAME MEMBER FOR MOVEMENT TOWARD ANY AWAY FROM SAIDCAP AND ADAPTED TO FEED WIRE TO SAID FIRST LONGITUDINAL BORE IN SAIDFRAME MEMBER, SAID SLIDE INCLUDING A PIVOTALLY MOUNTED GRIPING COLLARADAPTED TO GRIP AND MOVE A WIRE WHEN MOVING IN A DIRECTION TOWARD SAIDCAP AND TO OVERRIDE THE WIRE WHEN MOVING AWAY FROM SAID CAP, AND KEYMEANS CO-ACTABLE WITH SAID CAM BARS AND SAID SLIDE TO MOVE SAID SLIDEAWAY FROM SAID CAP FOR A PREDETERMINED DISTANCE AND THE RELEASE SAIDSLIDE WHEN SAID DRIVE MEMBER IS MOVED AWAY FROM SAID FRAME MEMBER, FIRSTSPRING MEANS NORMALLY URGING SAID DRIVE MEMBER AWAY FROM SAID FRAMEMEMBER, SECOND SPRING MEANS NORMALLY URGING SAID SLIDE TOWARD SAID CAP,AND HANDLE MEANS MOUNTED ON SAID DRIVE MEMBER.